Hockey is the red-headed step child of the EA Sports gaming catalog. Despite the fact that it is always at the forefront of accolades for sports gaming, it is still relegated to yearly updates that make Madden updates look positively groundbreaking. Despite this NHL 14 is better than its' predecessor and I am not at all sorry that I purchase my copy. Hitting is thankfully overhauled andHockey is the red-headed step child of the EA Sports gaming catalog. Despite the fact that it is always at the forefront of accolades for sports gaming, it is still relegated to yearly updates that make Madden updates look positively groundbreaking. Despite this NHL 14 is better than its' predecessor and I am not at all sorry that I purchase my copy. Hitting is thankfully overhauled and made much more asthetically pleasing as is overall flow of skating. But, scoring is even easier than last year and at times hitting is comically easy (Brad Marchand lighting up Tyler Meyers on the regular? C'mon!). My belief is that EA was trying to make this game more accesible and user friendly for people who haven't gotten into hockey games yet before they made the jump to next-gen consoles. If it works then great, hardcore hockey fans looking for a real-time simulation should probably skip this edition though as the ability to nitpick mechanics is easy pickins'. If you enjoy hockey or the series you shouldn't be too terribly dissapointed in the lack of a graphics upgrade or the fact that the commentary is basically just a stale retread and with a few exceptions the soundtrack has gotten back to being good again so all in all I think the game is worth a look.…Expand

This game actually kind of impressed me, I came into it thinking I wouldn't see much of a difference from this to my prior NHL game (NHL 12) but I was pleasantly surprised. Most aspects of it have very much improved, ranging from the physics to the menu screen, it feels more comfortable and real. That being said its not perfect, the fighting can be overdone, its like EA is rubbing it inThis game actually kind of impressed me, I came into it thinking I wouldn't see much of a difference from this to my prior NHL game (NHL 12) but I was pleasantly surprised. Most aspects of it have very much improved, ranging from the physics to the menu screen, it feels more comfortable and real. That being said its not perfect, the fighting can be overdone, its like EA is rubbing it in that they have a new fighting system, its 50% fighting and 50% hockey (exaggeration). Overall, i thought that NHL 14 is a pretty good game, adding many features that are actually noticeable from its priors, the fighting can be overdone, but overall I give this game an 8.3 (rounded down to 8).…Expand

The less time you spend with NHL 14 the better the experience is. The bugs and quirks gradually work their way into the foreground and some of them are familiar as they are retained from previous years. The online experience is inconsistent in performance at best and degraded by exploits at worst. The expansion of "Be a Pro" mode toBest hockey video game in the whole wide room.

The less time you spend with NHL 14 the better the experience is. The bugs and quirks gradually work their way into the foreground and some of them are familiar as they are retained from previous years. The online experience is inconsistent in performance at best and degraded by exploits at worst. The expansion of "Be a Pro" mode to "Live the Life" is actually a marginal change and the "Live the Life" aspects often seem quite silly; multiple choice questions to determine your player's personality feels like a desperate attempt to make the game mode different. There's as much fun to be had as any previous year, but don't expect anything overly impressive unless you haven't played an NHL game in several years.

It's a good game, but for as much potential as it shows it can ill-afford to be anything but a great game. This is a trend with the NHL franchise as each year it markets itself well and makes a reasonably good impression but then gradually reveals itself as an underachiever.…Expand

For new players, this will be a breathe of fresh air and a fun game to explore. But for veteran players, this will be just another disappointment. Slight good changes from last year for too much money. The only really good thing this game gives you is the extension of your own competitiveness and matching it with other players either in Online Versus Play (1v1) or EASHL (6v6) to be rankedFor new players, this will be a breathe of fresh air and a fun game to explore. But for veteran players, this will be just another disappointment. Slight good changes from last year for too much money. The only really good thing this game gives you is the extension of your own competitiveness and matching it with other players either in Online Versus Play (1v1) or EASHL (6v6) to be ranked among the best on the leaderboards.

That being said, you'll realize glitch goals are even more present than in its predecessor. Skate in diagonal, pull a wrist shot and it's in the net. You don't need to pull off a leg kick and simulate a real shot anymore.

Despite all of that, the fight and physical engine is great. Building an enforcer D-man, maximizing your strength and body checking will be worth a lot of hilarious moments.

The offline modes suck, too. Try to be as immersive as you can, but you'll face an extremely repetitive in-game on-ice experience. Regardless of the league you're in (whether it's the OHL/AHL/NHL) or how good or bad your own team is, it doesn't really matter. The AI acts the same, and acts badly most of the time.

I still recommend this game for the competitivity, but don't expect much outside of that.…Expand

I play this game for HUT because I enjoy hockey but this game is terribly broken. The whole idea of fantasy hockey is based on stats and if they left it at that this mode would be fabulous. The game is ruined by three major factors.....a) momentum engine.....an artificial way to make your players behave outside your control for dramatic effect and simulation. Taking away control from aI play this game for HUT because I enjoy hockey but this game is terribly broken. The whole idea of fantasy hockey is based on stats and if they left it at that this mode would be fabulous. The game is ruined by three major factors.....a) momentum engine.....an artificial way to make your players behave outside your control for dramatic effect and simulation. Taking away control from a player is just dumb in an online mode type game and allows players to take advantage of certain software and AI tracking shortfalls. b) constant online tuners....because of the momentum engine everything gets out of balance especially when EA offers promotions there are lots of skilling up going on and to make it fair an artificial adjustment to keep momentum presumably fair among all players. c) momentum adjustments and multipliers....so you can play a lower overall team and have their characteristics boosted to make matchups fair...or more fair......but for me all these compensation factors make me wonder why even bother, the fun of the game should be based on building a team based on stats and than going with it, but all that planning is thrown out the minute you add any deviation such as the three things I just pointed out. Its a fun game and needlessly frustrating. A good simulation, but a bad choice for playing according to your wishlist style without encountering adjustment roadblocks of all kinds....so pretty much everyones teams behave the same and one day checking is overpowered, one day its defense, one day your players slop around, one day they don't. The game is just so random for simulation presentation its annoying. There are about 3 types of goals players rely on scoring all of which entail AI tracking manipulation and everyone in the community thinks they are hot stuff. Decide if you are into this or not. Beware.…Expand

I swear EA pays magazines and game sites to give high grades, or they don't actually play the game just look at the graphics, or they know zero about hockey. This game looks fabulous. It ends there though unfortunately. The goalies are awful even when the AI is all maxed out. One minute they make 3 awesome saves up close, but then they let in a backhander from 30 feet with zero traffic inI swear EA pays magazines and game sites to give high grades, or they don't actually play the game just look at the graphics, or they know zero about hockey. This game looks fabulous. It ends there though unfortunately. The goalies are awful even when the AI is all maxed out. One minute they make 3 awesome saves up close, but then they let in a backhander from 30 feet with zero traffic in front. When you lift the puck for a dump in, the puck literally bounces about your players head everytime. Ever seen that happen in a real hockey game? I sure haven't and have been watching for 25+ years and played it for 8. The computer will poke the hell out of you when you have the puck with zero calls, but if you at anytime poke them and catch their leg once, penalty 100% of the time. If you watch point shots on instant replay on computer goals, the puck will literally go through players' bodies to get to the net. So much potential, but this is a seriously unrealistic and frustrating game.…Expand

The new collision system is great and all but, in game be a pro mode goal tending is terrible the only thing you control with your goalie is whether he is in butterfly or standing up, and moving side to side. Your team gives you no support when it comes to cross crease passes, intercepting them or taking out the player receiving the pass. without being able to control your goalie theThe new collision system is great and all but, in game be a pro mode goal tending is terrible the only thing you control with your goalie is whether he is in butterfly or standing up, and moving side to side. Your team gives you no support when it comes to cross crease passes, intercepting them or taking out the player receiving the pass. without being able to control your goalie the system fails to save most of the slot passes whether in position or not.…Expand

Disappointed with NHL 14. One of my biggest beefs is the passing in the game which is horrible and results in frequent missed passes and icing. If you press the pass button and aim in the general direction it should go to your teammate, not to open ice as often as it does. Also, your own AI teammates throw you offside all the time, or won't pick up loose pucks automatically, which is notDisappointed with NHL 14. One of my biggest beefs is the passing in the game which is horrible and results in frequent missed passes and icing. If you press the pass button and aim in the general direction it should go to your teammate, not to open ice as often as it does. Also, your own AI teammates throw you offside all the time, or won't pick up loose pucks automatically, which is not realistic. There is also a glitch where offsides is not called sometimes despite the puck clearly coming out over the blue line and back in and touched by offense. WAAAAY too many penalties are called, charging? boarding? its a video game, lets not get carried away and take the fun out of the game by trying to be too realistic and calling everything. Passing needs to be improved, less penalties should be called especially for charging/boarding, and your own teammates should stop throwing you offsides all the time.…Expand

NHL 14 doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, but then again... it doesn't need to. Deep controls that are both challenging and accessible make for an excellent hockey simulation, strengthened by a large variety of game modes, state-of-the-art visuals and top-notch commentary tracks. If you're into hockey, you owe it to yourself to give NHL 14 a shot.

With the benefit of some great training tutorials, before long anyone can be carrying out line changes, deking with the best of them and carrying out a brilliant selection of slapshots, pivots and, of course, brutal punches to the face.